San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-03-02

( "All clothed in white, il seemed "a
me-" Edith went on excitedly, each sis
( ter being ready and eager now to add
1 her testimony of the astounding truth.
once the ice had been eifectually brok-
( EN- land with long elfin locks streaming
in the wintry breeze?n
| "Vide Chronicles of the Barnes Com
mon Ghost" supplemented Dick in
low solemn tones. IF you quote, Edie,
why not quote correctly, and duly rem
! der up your authority"
What in Heavens name is all this
nonsense, children?" questioned the vi
car, rousing himself for action, and
now thoroughly annoyed. "Dick, I'm
surprised at you! | am, indeed; and,
wife, really | wonder you encourage
ridiculous talk of this naturel"
but. Herbert dear, II saw it tool''
faltered poor Mrs. Carlisle, turning
wide-opened eyes towards her husband;
II did, indeed, my dear"
saw whatp" the vicar yelled, spring
"Her! papa" "Shel dad" "Itl
father" simultaneously escaped the
lips of the wears three daughters;
some of whom, in this moment of emo
ton, waxed more emphatic than gram
NAUTICAL, as the reader well-versed in
Lindley Murray may observe.
The Barnes Common Ghost" Edie
added boldly, "of whom we were speak
ing but few minutes ago. She opened
the shutter and just peeped in, and then
disappeared-as they always do-in a
trice, before one could draw BREATH"
And when Dick rushed out" con-
timed Nell, "beholdl she had left no
sign. Dick, without doubt it was the
merciful wandering spirit, who came to
see tiff the carriers had obeyed her,
and whether you were safely housed. {"
Though, after all, Kate opined con-
temptuously, lone would hardly think
a ghost required ocular demonstration
of fact. | rather incline to the belief
that creatures of that sort know every
thing by instinct, and"
But the vicar interfered peremptorily
at this juncture, expressing himself
both grieved and shocked that intelli-
gent and carefully educated girls, much
less daughters of his, could condescend
to speculation of this vulgar nature.
He hardly knew whether he was most
disguised by their ignorance, or indig-
nant at Dicks foolery. He sternly for
babe the very mention of ghostlore for
the remainder of the evening, and much
regretted that he must consequently
deprive the company, by way of pun
ishing their frivolity, of a long-prom-
Used treat in the shape of a Celebrated
Christmas story of Demonstrating
of hobgOblins in general, and highly
interesting spectre in particular-which
he had previously undertaken to read
aloud when they should all be assembled
round the fireside on Christmas Eve.
Nevertheless, during the temporary
withdrawal of the wears presence later
in the evening. Dick and the girls hast
ened to put their heads together and re-
open the much-vexed and finally ia
boOed subject. Individual impressions
were compared respecting it, and
striking similarity Of detail in each in
stance was not the least remarkable
coincidence in this mysterious affair.
certainly had fancied, for the space of
about half a moment, that-that
small white face peered in through the
shutters, and then disappeared in
trice."
But good Mrs. Carlisle fastened to
supplement this admission by hazard
ing a conviction that, without doubt,
it was but one of the villagers children
who had peered in for mischief, en- pass
SAINT, attracted by the lights"
This suggestion was received with the
contempt it so richly merited. Confess
girls. and prOfessedly Dick himself, was
firmly impressed with the belief that,
on this particular Christmas Eve, in the
present year of grace, the inmates of
Burnham Vicarage had collectively
been privileged to see the far-famed
Barnes Common Ghost: mot a bad,
wicked ghost that one need be afraid
of, as Edie impressed upon her sisters
with an anxiety calculated to convey a
suspicion that by the force of argu-
ment she was seeking to reassure her.
self, but that kindly spirit, who, each
Christmas Eve, did annual penance
according to fancy" as the photogra-
pliers say; land to hooray onards-I
quote verbatim-at the risk of life and
limb, in order to do it's bidding. Well,
it must be clear to any logical mind,
that this was none other than the mer-
ciful wrath Edie has so graphically de-
scribed, bent on its errand of charity on
behalf of the wretched soul in purgato-
ry; and, without doubt, l should say
she cancelled a full purgatorial year
if the calendar of the internal regions
corresponds with our Own-of the muir
derer's penance, by sending those other
angels in human guiSe, Tom and Bill,
to our relief. Moreover, I"
"Hushl'
A sudden silence fell upon them all at
this juncture; Edie clutched her broth
er's arm systematically with one hand,
whilst with the other she pointed mute
ly in the direction of the curtained win
dow, for the vicarage "bOw" was of the
old-fashioned type, the venetian shut
tiers were secured by a bolt without,
and on occasions like the present the
white blind inside was seldom dropped,
the rudy curtains on either side form
ing cheerful framework and suflicing
to throw the window paneS into sutic-
iently dark shadow, rendered dense and
Opaque by the outside shutters.
Thus apostrOphised the eyes of all
present turned by mute consent in the
direction indicated by the girls out
stretched hand; then, for one long mo-
ment, silence as of death ensued,
whilst the expression of each face lex
elusive neither of materfamilias nor
Dick's) underwent an instantaneous
change-a change which in the case of
the three girls bespoke little less than
positive terror, bewilderment on the
mothers part, and strange mixture of
amaze, amusement, and incredulity
on that of the hero of the night him
self.
Then Dick sprang to his feet, cleared
a chair in his path at a single bound,
darted out at the parlor door, down the
narrow passage, and out at the front
door, almost in less time than it takes
me to narrate the fact; only to return,
however, in less than sixty seconds, and
drop apparently speeches. and exhaust
ed into the chair he had previously va